This invention relates to electrical switches for printed circuit boards for completing and interrupting circuits between conductors on the circuit board.
Ordinarily, the switching means for conductors on printed circuit boards is mounted externally of the board and the conductors on the board are connected to the switch means by printed circuit board connectors and conductors which extend from the printed circuit board connectors to the switch means.
There is, however, a growing tendency to provide switches directly on the circuit boards. Key board switches are, of course, widely used in electronic calculators but switches of this type are intended only to be closed momentarily under the influence of finger pressure and they can not be used where it is desired to maintain a circuit path between two conductors on the circuit board for an extended period. There are also available selfcontained switches for printed circuit board use which have the appearance and the dimensions of a DIP (dual inline package). Switches of this type have leads extending therefrom which are soldered to the conductors on the printed circuit board and the leads extend to the contacts which are contained in the switch housing. Switching is carried out by switch toggle mechanisms or the like which are actuated from the upper surface of the housing. Switches of this type, having the dimensions and appearance of a DIP are being widely used but they are not suitable under many conditions; for example, where the circuit board and the conductors on the circuit board are relatively coarse in size and where the conductors which are to be connected through the switch are not as close together on the circuit board as are required by a DIP type switch. Circuit boards are being used to an increasing extent on the control systems for appliances, in automotive electrical circuits, in musical organs, and in similar applications and there is a definite need for an inxpensive reliable switch for such applications.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved switch means for a cicuit board. A further object is to provide a low cost switch means for a circuit board which can be used for a wide variety of switching functions and which can be adapted to a variety of specific configurations. A further object is to provide a switch assembly for a circuit board which contains, as the metallic switch contacts, the same type of contacts as are used in conventional key board switches. A further object is to provide an improved method of assembling switches to printed circuit boards.